BE IN THE NOW
INTRODUCTION: Be Here Now is a book published in 1971 by Ram Dass on Hindu spirituality and yoga. I've never read the book and don't subscribe to Hinduism but the principle of the phrase itself is a valid one. Be here now communicates the importance of keeping your focus on what you're doing right now.
It's so easy to get sidetracked and let your mind wander. It's so easy to get focused on things from the past as well as thinking about what's in the future. As we head into a new year, we can easily find ourselves doing that. We look back and focus on what we didn't accomplish last year. We look ahead and think about what we would like to accomplish in 2018. But if we're not careful we'll risk not taking advantage of where we are right now and making the most of the moment.
1) One day at a time.
This phrase is a popular A.A. slogan. In researching this I came across this article. "I imagine that this is the very first slogan that found its way into the original Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Can't you just picture a frantic newcomer talking about how difficult he was finding sobriety? I can almost imagine the conversation:
Newcomer: What am I going to do? Next week I have to go to the office Christmas party – how will I ever stay sober there! Old-timer: Slow down, it's not next week yet. Take it One Day at a Time!
And a slogan is born – because it's got some real wisdom in it. For in truth, each one of us has only one day at a time – or one hour or one moment. In the first few rocky days of recovery, just abstaining for that moment, hour, etc. is truly all we can do. If we can't do that, there's no point in worrying about tomorrow, or next week, or whenever.
The One Day at a Time philosophy has benefits far beyond the early days in recovery. It can keep us grounded in the present – that Holy Instant that is so easy to miss in a busy and productive life.
Unfortunately, though, some in 12 Step Groups have taken the philosophy to mean we shouldn't plan. This is patently false. A major promise of the Program is to restore us to sanity, and that includes planning. We need to set goals, make appointments, and design our lives. But planning doesn't mean we have to leave One Day at a Time behind –the trick is to watch for expectations.
It's one thing to plan and quite another to demand that the plan work out the way we require it too–in that we have no control at all. When our plans bring unintended results–as they often do–all we need do is reevaluate, accept where we are in this moment, and start anew. Knowing, using and accepting the present moment is part of being Powerfully Recovered, whether you're in Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or any other 12 Step Group."
This is good advice, not just for the addict but for all of us. Not keeping it in the now can cause us to panic. If I stay in panic mode I'm doomed to fail. Being in the now means I only have to focus on what I need to do right now. The one day at a time principle allows me to stay grounded which will enable me to be successful.
I like what he said about one day at a time doesn't mean we don't make plans. Be here now doesn't mean don't make proper plans. It's wise to make plans and preparations. Failing to plan is planning to fail. But that doesn't mean our plans are final.
Prov. 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." This doesn't mean we're all robots, God obviously allows some people to follow through with their negative plans. But this means that a man can make plans all he wants but God has the final say on everything.
A man doesn't have the absolute power to make things happen the way he wants them to. He has no control over circumstances, the weather, other people's actions, etc. God does and that is the point of the verse. And for us that's a good thing. If we're humble we won't think we know how everything should go.
We can't see the future; only God can. So we make plans according to how we think things should go but we can't calculate that which is unpredictable. Therefore, we allow God to determine our steps, knowing that whichever direction he steers us in is the right one. Being in the now is planning a course but staying in the moment. It's taking the first step and leaving the results to God.
This is important when making goals. We have in mind a major goal but can fail to focus on the goals to accomplish today that serve to contribute toward the overall goal. I can get overwhelmed with my major goal of losing 50 pounds but if I focus on today's goal of eating right and exercising then I know I can get there.
But what if I have a setback and end up eating a whole pizza? If I don't keep it in the now then my frustration will cause me to project that I'll never be able to do this and give up. I would conclude that I'm a failure so there's no need to try again.
But if I have a "be in the now" mentality I won't dwell on the setback. Instead I'll choose to start over. In the "be here now" mindset I can put yesterday's pizza binge behind me and get my focus back on the goal because today is a new day. I may have to deal with the fallout from yesterday's actions but I can still start over and move forward.
2) Enjoying one moment at a time.
Another aspect of A.A. is the Serenity Prayer. Within this prayer is the principle of not only living one day at a time, but breaking it down to one moment at a time. Typically, the condensed version is shared in groups. But here is the full, original version:
"God give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the thing which should be changed and the wisdom to distinguish one from the other. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that You will make things right, if I surrender to Your will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen."
This whole prayer is something any Christian can benefit from. However, I just want to focus on the phrase, "enjoying one moment at a time". This isn't just, be in the now, this is, enjoy the now.
How often do we not enjoy the moment because we're thinking about something else? We're worried about tomorrow's meeting or we're upset about what happened yesterday. And now, when you're at a fun event or even just sitting at home being around your family you're not enjoying the moment because your mind is on something else.
Solomon had something to say about this principle in Ecc. 7:14, "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." In a way Solomon is telling us to be here now. Enjoy the moment when times are good and deal with it when they're not. The good times don't last forever but the bad times don't either.
If we're not here now we won't enjoy the good times because we're thinking about when the moment will end. Guess what? The good time ended when we decided to not be in the now. And when we're enduring the bad times we can sink deeper down because we're wondering the same thing-when will it end.
This is not staying in the now. This moment is the only one I can do anything about. The be here now mindset allows me to make the most of it. Otherwise I'm not enjoying one moment at a time; I'm worrying one moment at a time.
What does worry accomplish for us? Nothing. It robs us. It robs us of happiness and joy. It robs us of peace and serenity. Worry robs our ability to trust and rely on God. It robs us of the ability to think rationally and find solutions to our problems. It steals our patience in waiting for God to move in his perfect timing. If I'm worried I cannot enjoy the moment.
Jesus taught us about the fruitlessness of worry. Luke 12:22-34, "Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!
And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Jesus is saying don't worry about things. God knows your needs and he will take care of you. It doesn't mean he'll just drop everything in our laps. He takes care of the ravens but the ravens still need to go out and look for food. God provides the things needed for their nest but they still have to build it.
However, sometimes God does provide without us having to work for it. The flowers of the field didn't do anything to look beautiful; God made them that way. Regardless of how our needs are met through God, we need to cast our cares upon him and trust in him.
If our hearts are set on him and if we are seeking his wisdom, his will, his insight and direction them we need not worry. If we are doing that then we can be at peace. There might be chaos around us but that doesn't mean it has to disrupt our spirits.
My life may not be perfect; I might have problems to deal with but does that mean everything stinks? I will think so if I'm worried and afraid. But if I can be here now I realize that right now I'm alive and that all hope is not lost. I will realize that God can make a way and I can get through this.
Staying in the now will enable me to see that it could've been worse. It might get worse but I'm going to not think about that. Instead of projecting I'm going to keep it in the now and live one moment at a time. I might even enjoy the moment.
3) Being in the now but looking ahead.
We like to look forward to things. We look forward to the arrival of a friend. We look forward to a certain holiday. I'm looking forward to Spring. And in doing so it's likely that certain preparations need to be made. This is okay; 'be here now' doesn't contradict it.
However, we can become too focused on a future event to where we don't make the most of today. Life needs to go on as we look ahead. This works spiritually too. What are we looking ahead to? Christ's return. But does that mean we don't do anything while we wait? No.
1st Pet. 1:3-7, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
Peter gives us the reason for our joy-the salvation of our souls and the inheritance we have in heaven. Although we have to suffer through trials now we look forward to when Jesus comes back. So what do we do in the meantime?
He tells us in verses 13-16, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy."
Peter says we need to prepare our minds for action. We need to set our minds on doing the things we need to be doing while we wait. As much as we might be anticipating heaven we need to prepare our minds to be here now and focus on the work of the kingdom. There is a lot to do and no time to waste.
We don't know when Jesus is coming back and we don't know when our final moment will come so we prepare our minds for action-we train our brain to be here now so we can determine what we need to be doing right now.
1st Pet. 4:1-3, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry."
Jesus dealt with our sins at the cross. It's taken care of; our past is in the past. Now, as a new creation, we have a new focus, a new outlook; living for the will of God. So we make new plans; we have new goals. We look ahead to a brighter tomorrow; we look forward to a glorious future. But it starts with what I'm doing today. It begins with being in the moment. If I want to be there tomorrow then I need to be here now.
